People involved in cricket from 1597 to 1787

This article lists people who are known to have been involved in the historical development of cricket from its earliest known reference on Monday, 17 January 1597^[a] to the opening of the original Lord's ground and the formation of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in 1787. The tables are chronological, and each person's name is given when it was first recorded in surviving sources. The first is John Derrick who, in January 1597, made the legal deposition which includes the earliest mention of cricket on record. The last name, and the only one in 1787, is Thomas Lord whose new ground was opened at the beginning of that season;^[b] MCC was founded soon afterwards.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the names are those of people who may or may not have been regular players. Many are referenced only in court cases, or are people who witnessed the sport. The town or village given is where their involvement occurred. In the 18th century, more information is available in the sources so it is easier to identify the active players and the clubs or teams (i.e., parish or county) with which they are most usually associated. Although some people like the Dukes of Richmond are remembered primarily as patrons, they were invariably players too and generally captained their own teams. Cricket underwent radical changes during the 18th century. Patronage and popular support enabled it to outgrow its roots as a village pastime and develop into a major sport in southeast England which had begun its spread through the rest of the country by 1787.

There were three watersheds in cricket history during the 18th century, one evolutionary and two revolutionary. First, in 1744, the Laws of Cricket were formally codified. They were revised in 1774 and then, although it is outside the scope of this article, became the copyright of MCC in 1788 when a further revision was enacted. Cricket underwent a major change in the early 1760s when pitched delivery bowling was introduced and necessitated the invention of the straight bat: an evolution in bowling and batting techniques. Until then, the sport had been in what may be called its "pioneering period". From about 1763, after the end of the Seven Years War, the "Hambledon era" commenced. It is possible that pitching and straight bats were the basis of Hambledon's erroneous reputation as the "Cradle of Cricket". The third watershed was the creation of MCC in 1787, following the opening of Lord's.

Much of our knowledge about 18th century players has come from match scorecards. The earliest known scorecards date from 1744 but only a handful exist from before 1772 when they began to be completed and, more importantly, preserved on a regular basis. As such, the sport's statistical record begins in 1772 but scorecards until c.1825 are often incomplete and, for many matches, remain lost. The key historical sources are the works of Arthur Haygarth, F. S. Ashley-Cooper, H. T. Waghorn, G. B. Buckley, Rowland Bowen and Ian Maun, among others. The online databases, not in any case reliable, are excluded from this work as the scope is historical and not statistical.^[d]

People

1597 to 1700

In this table, the third column is headed "location" because no team names are known until the first half of the 18th century. The location given is the one mentioned in the primary sources. For example, in 1611, Bartholomew Wyatt and Richard Latter were residents of Sidlesham, Sussex.

year	name	location	notes[c][d]
1597	John Derrick	Guildford, Surrey	The earliest definite reference to cricket is in the records of a court case in Guildford. The case concerned ownership of a disputed parcel of land. John Derrick, a Surrey coroner, gave witness that he had played cricket on the land when he was a pupil at the town's Royal Grammar School (pictured) some fifty years earlier.
1611	Bartholomew Wyatt	Sidlesham, Sussex	Both were prosecuted for "breaking the Sabbath" by playing cricket on a Sunday.
	Richard Latter
1617	Oliver Cromwell	London	The earliest known reference to cricket in London concerns the future Lord Protector, who played the game there when training at the Inns of Court.
1622	Edward Hartley	Boxgrove, Sussex	All were prosecuted for "breaking the Sabbath" by playing cricket on a Sunday.
	Anthony Ward
	Raphe West
	Richard Martin Sr
	Richard Martin Jr
	Richard Slaughter
	Thomas West
	William Martin
1624	Jasper Vinall	West Hoathly, Sussex	Vinall died as the result of an injury during a game, caused by a blow on the head from Tye's bat; he is the sport's earliest known fatality. The inquest ruled death by misadventure.
	Edward Tye
1628	Edward Taylor	East Lavant, Sussex	Both were prosecuted for "breaking the Sabbath" by playing cricket on a Sunday.
	William Greentree
1629	Henry Cuffin	Ruckinge, Kent	Prosecuted for "breaking the Sabbath" by playing cricket on a Sunday, Cuffin retorted that cricket was "a game played by persons of repute and fashion".
1631	Rev. Thomas Wilson	Maidstone, Kent	A Puritan minister who described people playing cricket and other games as "prophane".
1634	Rev. Richard Culmer	Harbledown, Kent	A Puritan minister, known as "Blue Dick", who alienated his parishioners by seeking to suppress cricket and drunkenness in the community.
1636	Henry Mabbinck	West Horsley, Surrey	Testified in a tithe dispute that cricket was played "in the Parke" at West Horsley.
1640	Robert Spilstead	Chevening, Kent	As the plaintiff in a trespass case, Spilstead testified that there was "about thirty years since a cricketting between the Weald and Upland and the Chalkehill". This match played c.1610 is the earliest known organised match on record.
1646	Samuel Filmer	Coxheath, Kent	Filmer and Harlackenden played and defeated the other four but had to resort to litigation when their winnings were not paid. Filmer lived in Virginia during the Commonwealth of England. One of his relations was a governor of the colony and Rowland Bowen has speculated that Filmer played cricket there. There is a possible connection between these Filmers and President Millard Fillmore.
	Thomas Harlackenden
	Richard Marsh	Maidstone, Kent
	Robert Sanders
	Walter Franklyn
	William Cooper
1647	Henry Brand	Selsey, Sussex	Brand was killed after being struck on the head by Latter's bat during a game. John Major has suggested that Thomas Latter was a relation of Richard Latter (see 1611).
	Thomas Latter
	Robert Mathew	Winchester College, Hampshire	Author of a Latin poem which contains a probable reference to cricket being played at Winchester College; if so, it is the earliest known mention of cricket in Hampshire.
1652	John Rabson	Cranbrook, Kent	Prosecuted for "breaking the Sabbath" by playing cricket on a Sunday.
1658	Edward Phillips	London	The earliest reference to the ball is found in his poem Mysteries of Love and Eloquence.
1665	John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough	St Paul's School, London	Churchill attended the school as a teenage pupil in the 1660s and is known to have played cricket there. Following Cromwell in 1617, this is the second known reference to cricket in London and both concern young men who became famous generals.
1666	Sir Robert Paston	Richmond, Surrey	In a letter, Paston mentioned a "cricketting" on Richmond Green.
1671	Edward Bound	Shere, Surrey	Prosecuted for "breaking the Sabbath" but he was exonerated.
1673	Thomas Salmon	University of Oxford	In the earliest reference to cricket at Oxford, Salmon is criticised for his love of the game by his rival John Phillips.
1676	Henry Tonge	British Mission, Aleppo, Turkey	Provided the earliest known record of cricket being played outside England.
1677	Thomas Lennard, 1st Earl of Sussex	Herstmonceux, East Sussex	His personal accounts refer to him receiving £3 before he attended a match at "ye Dicker", a common near Herstmonceux.
1694	Sir John Pelham	Lewes, Sussex	His personal accounts refer to him paying 2s.6d. after he lost a wager when he attended a match at Lewes.

1701 to 1725

In the 18th century tables, the third column is headed "team" because there is greater knowledge of clubs and other team names. If an entry is in brackets, however, it refers to a known location as in the 1597 to 1700 table. For example, in 1702, the 1st Duke of Richmond is associated with county cricket in Sussex; in 1706, William Goldwin was not a known player but he was resident in Bristol.

year	name	team	notes[c][d]
1702	Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond	Sussex	The sport's earliest known leading patron.
1706	William Goldwin	(Bristol)	Goldwin wrote a Latin poem of 95 lines on a rural cricket match. It was called In Certamen Pilae (On a Ball Game) and it was published in his Musae Juveniles.
1709	William Bedle	Dartford and Kent	Bedle's 1768 obituary states that he was the "most expert cricket player in England". It is possible that he played for Dartford/Kent against a Surrey team in 1709.
	William Byrd II	(Virginia)	An American lawyer who was educated at Felsted School in Essex, Byrd is known to have organised cricket matches on his James River estates in the Colony of Virginia. This is the earliest reference to cricket being played in the New World.
1717	Thomas Marchant	(Hurstpierpoint), Sussex	Perhaps not a player himself, though his son Will was, Marchant was a Sussex farmer who kept a diary in which he made numerous references to cricket from 1717 to 1727.
1724	Edwin Stead	Kent	A leading patron of Kent cricket who died young in 1735.
	William Goodwin	Sunbury and Middlesex	Described as "able to play at Cricket with most People". Sunbury had a noted team.
1725	Sir William Gage, 7th Baronet	Slindon and Sussex	The two leading patrons of Sussex cricket in general and of the Slindon club in particular. The earliest known reference to both in a cricket connection is a letter sent by Gage to Richmond in July 1725.
	Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond
	Edmund Chapman	Chertsey and Surrey	His 1763 obituary described him as "one of the most dextrous cricket players in England".

1726 to 1740

year	name	team	notes[c][d]
1726	Perry	London	Both took part in the earliest known single wicket match. The players were well known as the contemporary report calls them "the noted Perry of London and the famous Piper of Hampton".
	Piper	Hampton
1727	Alan Brodrick, 2nd Viscount Midleton	Surrey	A Surrey patron who was partly responsible for drawing up the first known rules of the game.
	Thomas Waymark	Sussex and Berkshire	Accounted the first great all-rounder, Waymark played for over 20 years and was noted for his "extraordinary agility and dexterity".
1728	César-François de Saussure	(Switzerland|Swiss]] writer)	Not an Englishman but, in June 1728, de Saussure noted in his journal the frequency with which he saw cricket being played while he was making journeys across southern England. He referred to county matches as "a commonplace" and wrote that "everyone plays it, the common people and also men of rank".
1729	John Chitty	Surrey	The owner of what is now the world's oldest surviving cricket bat (pictured), which is kept in the museum at The Oval.
1730	Mr Andrews	Sunbury and Surrey	A Surrey patron who challenged the Duke of Richmond's team in 1730.
1731	Frederick, Prince of Wales	Surrey	Heir to the throne who became very interested in cricket when he first came to England from Hanover and was a leading patron for the rest of his life.
	Tim Coleman	London	Described in a contemporary report as "the famous Tim Coleman".
	Captain Beak	none	Both took part in an early single wicket contest, though it was a minor event.
	Lieutenant Coke
	Thomas Chambers	Middlesex	A Middlesex patron who challenged the Duke of Richmond's team in 1731.
1732	Christopher Jones	London	Keeper of the Artillery Ground.
1734	Charles Sackville, Lord Middlesex	Kent	An occasional patron of Kent cricket.
	Lord John Philip Sackville	Kent	A leading patron of Kent cricket who was also a noted player.
1735	Cook	(Brentford)	Described by a contemporary reporter as "one of the best bowlers in England".
	Dunn	London	Evidently a top order batsman who is mentioned in three match reports.
	Ellis		Described by a contemporary reporter as London's "best bowler".
	Wakeland		Made two known appearances in single wicket contests.
	Wheatley		Evidently a top order batsman, known to have been a distiller by trade.
	Marshall		Recorded in one match in 1735.
	Pool		Recorded in one match in 1735.
	Mr Jervoise	Croydon and Surrey	A Surrey patron who was active in 1735.
	Wood	(Woodcot), Surrey	Mentioned briefly in a 1735 report. There were apparently two Woods of Woodcot.
1736	George Oldner	London	Appeared in a top-class single wicket contest in 1736.
1737	John Boots	Sussex	Village cricket player who died during a match after colliding with another player.
	Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough	London	Patron and team captain.
1739	John Bowra	Bromley	Known as the "Kentish Shepherd" and believed to be the father of William Bowra.
1740	Darville	Berkshire	Apparently Thomas Waymark's employer at Bray Mills in Berkshire. A patron who is recorded playing in three single wicket matches in 1748.
	John Newland	Slindon	Brother of Richard Newland. First mentioned in correspondence to Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle by the 2nd Duke of Richmond as someone "that you must remember".
	George Smith	London	A publican who was also the groundkeeper of the Artillery Ground. Although he was an occasional player, he was better known for his financial problems and his battles against bankruptcy.

1741 to 1745

year	name	team	notes[c][d]
1741	John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford	Bedfordshire	Patron and captain of his county team.
	George Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax	Northamptonshire	Patron and captain of his county team.
	John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich	Huntingdonshire	Patron and captain of his county team.
	Richard Grenville-Temple, 2nd Earl Temple	Buckinghamshire	Patron and captain of his county team.
1743	Richard Newland	Slindon	One of the most outstanding players of the sport's pioneering era before the introduction of the pitched delivery. Made the highest known individual score of the period.
	John Bryant	Bromley and Kent	Brother of James Bryant. One of the best players for the Kent county team and a key member of Bromley Cricket Club.
	John Cutbush	(Maidstone) and Kent	Rated among "the six best players in England".
	Ridgeway	Sussex	Rated among "the six best players in England".
	Robert Colchin aka "Long Robin"	Bromley and Kent	A controversial figure who was held to be both the best batsman and all-rounder of his time. An outstanding single wicket player and a very influential match organiser.
	Tom Peake	(Chelsfield) and Kent	Recorded in two top-class matches in 1743 and 1749.
	Val Romney	(Sevenoaks) and Kent	Noted for his leadership and described by James Love as "a mighty player".
	William Hodsoll	Dartford and Kent	An outstanding bowler who was rated among "the six best players in England".
	William Sawyer	(Richmond, Surrey|Richmond) and Surrey	Rated among "the six best players in England".
	Henry Bromley, 1st Baron Montfort	London	Patron and team captain who led the London, Middlesex & Surrey XI in May 1743.
	Stephen Rose	Chertsey	An army deserter reported to be "a famous cricket player".
1744	Adam Newland	Slindon	Brother of Richard Newland. Noted member of the Slindon team.
	Little Bennett	London	Probably brothers and noted in contemporary reports to have been two of the best batsmen of their time.
	Tall Bennett
	Collins	Surrey	Mentioned in 1744 and 1748; played for London against Slindon in the earliest match that has a surviving scorecard.
	Edward Aburrow Sr aka "Cuddy"	Slindon and Sussex	A known smuggler who played under his alias to disguise himself. Father of the Hambledon player of the same name, he is recorded in matches to 1751. A noted bowler and single wicket player. Father of Edward Aburrow Jr.
	George Jackson	Addington and Surrey	Known to have been a good batsman who frequently played in single wicket contests, he is recorded in matches to 1752.
	Green	(Amberley) and Sussex	Recorded in three matches to 1747.
	Howlett	London	Made two known appearances in 1744 and 1745.
	James Bryant	Bromley and Kent	Brother of John Bryant. One of the best players for the Kent county team and a key member of Bromley Cricket Club.
	James Love	Richmond	A playing member at Richmond but better known as a poet.
	Joe Harris	Addington and Surrey	Brother of John Harris and recorded until 1756. Made 26 known appearances in single wicket and 15 in eleven-a-side matches.
	John Harris	Addington and Surrey	Brother of Joe Harris and recorded until 1754. Made 11 known appearances in single wicket and 12 in eleven-a-side matches.
	John Mills	(Horsmonden) and Kent	A noted bowler but is only recorded in one match.
	Kipps	(Eltham) and Kent	A noted wicketkeeper who is recorded four times to 1747.
	Maynard	Surrey	Recorded in 12 matches to 1750.
	Norris	London	Made two known appearances in 1744 and 1745.
	Stephen Dingate	(Reigate), Surrey	Believed to have been a barber by trade, one of the leading single wicket players of the 1740s.
	Stevens	Surrey	Two players called Stevens were due to play in the London v Slindon match on 2 June 1744 but did not take part and are not mentioned in other sources.
	Tom Faulkner	Addington and Surrey	A prominent single wicket player who is recorded to 1761. Was also a prizefighter who fought under the sobriquet of "Long Tom".
	Andrews	Slindon and Sussex	Recorded in one match in 1744.
	Bartram	Kent	Recorded in one match in 1744.
	Butler	London	Recorded in one match in 1744.
	Danes	Kent	Recorded in one match in 1744.
	Hodder	London	Recorded in one match in 1744.
	Mills	Kent	Possibly John Mills' brother; recorded in one match in 1744.
1745	Broad	Addington and Surrey	Mentioned in match reports from 1745 to 1750.
	Howard	Kent	Mentioned in match reports from 1745 to 1752.
	Robert Lascoe	Bromley and Kent	Mentioned in match reports from 1745 to 1748.
	William Anderson	London	Mentioned in match reports from 1745 to 1752. It is believed a benefit match was held for him in 1753.
	Hodge	Long Robin's XI	Recorded in one match in 1745.
	Jacob Mann	Richard Newland's XI	Recorded in one match in 1745.
	Martin	Richard Newland's XI	Recorded in one match in 1745.
	Norton	Richard Newland's XI	Recorded in one match in 1745.

1746 to 1760

year	name	team	notes[c][d]
1747	John Bell	Dartford and Kent	Noted wicketkeeper.
	Thomas Bell	Dartford and Kent	Brother of the above. Condemned to death in 1762 but later reprieved.
	John Mansfield	Sevenoaks and Kent	Batsman noted for single wicket appearances.
	John Larkin	Hadlow and Kent	Noted single wicket performer.
	Jones	Hadlow and Kent	Mentioned in match reports from 1747 to 1749.
	Joseph Rudd	Sussex	Noted single wicket performer.
	Pye	Sussex	Noted single wicket performer.
	Robert Eures	(Bexley) and Kent	Known to have been a good batsman who played for England teams.
	Thomas Jure	London	Mentioned in match reports from 1747 to 1749.
	Allen	Kent	Recorded in one match in 1747.
1748	Durling	Addington and Surrey	Mentioned in match reports from 1748 to 1761.
	John Capon	London and Surrey	Mentioned in match reports from 1748 to 1755.
	George Carter	London	Recorded four times from 1748 to 1749.
	Walker	London	Recorded in one single wicket match in 1748.
1749	John Frame	Dartford and Kent	Arguably the first great fast bowler in cricket history and had a long career from 1749 to at least 1774.
	Perry	Surrey	Mentioned in match reports from 1749 to 1755. Has been confused with the 1726 player, who could have been a relation.
	Humphreys	Surrey	Recorded in two matches in 1749.
	John Colchin	Bromley	Probably Robert Colchin's brother; recorded in two matches in 1749.
	Joseph Hitches	Long Robin's XI	Recorded three times in 1749.
	Thomas Southam	Long Robin's XI	Recorded three times in 1749.
	Robinson	(Tom Faulkner|Tom Faulkner's XI]]	Recorded three times in 1749.
1750	Garrett	Kent	Recorded in five matches from 1750 to 1751.
	Rawlings	Kent	Mentioned in three match reports to 1751.
	Robert Bartholomew	Surrey	Possibly part of a cricketing family, he was also an innkeeper.
	Thomas Brandon	Dartford and Kent	A noted batsman who was mentioned in match reports from 1750 to 1759.
	Frame	Surrey	John Frame's brother; recorded in three matches in 1750.
1751	Stephen Harding	(Thursley) and Chertsey	Hard-hitting batsman mentioned in match reports from 1751 to 1765.
	Stephens	Dartford	Mentioned in match reports from 1751 to 1759.
	Mathews	England	Recorded in two matches in 1751.
	Stone	Kent	Recorded in two matches in 1751.
	Wilden	Kent	Recorded in two matches in 1751.
1753	William King	London	Noted as a leading London player in 1753 and 1754.
1754	Parr	(Chatham)	Recorded in one single wicket match in 1754.
1755	Clowder	London	Recorded in one single wicket match in 1755.
1759	Gill	(Buckinghamshire) and England	Noted wicketkeeper who was still playing in 1772.
	John Edmeads	Chertsey and Surrey	Mentioned in match reports until 1779.
	John Haynes	Surrey	Mentioned in match reports from 1759 to 1761.
	Thomas Woods	Chertsey and Surrey	Only definite reference is in 1761 but probably played in 1759 for England. There is confusion in sources with other players named "Woods", "John Wood" and "Thomas Wood".
	Allen	Middlesex	Played in three matches in 1759. No other mentions.
	Burchwood	Kent	Noted bowler. Played in three matches in 1759.
	Cheeseman	Sussex	Played in three matches in 1759. No other mentions.
	Gascoigne	London	Played in three matches in 1759. No other mentions.
	Nyland	Sussex	Played in three matches in 1759. No other mentions. Possibly Richard Newland or Richard Nyren.
	Saunders	Berkshire	Played in three matches in 1759. No other mentions.
	Goldstone	Dartford and Kent	Played in three matches in 1759. No other mentions.
	Killick	Dartford and Kent	Played in three matches in 1759. No other mentions.
	Potter	Dartford and Kent	Played in three matches in 1759. No other mentions.
	Wakelin	Dartford and Kent	Played in three matches in 1759. No other mentions.

1761 to 1771

year	name	team	notes[c][d]
1761	Shock White	Brentford	Definitely active between 1761 and 1773 but often confused with Thomas "Daddy" White.
	Charles Sears	Chertsey	Played two matches in 1761.
	William Piper	Chertsey	Appeared in one match in 1761 as a given man for Chertsey.
1764	John Small	Hambledon and Hampshire	Described by John Nyren as "a star of the first magnitude", master batsman John Small is buried in St Peter's churchyard (pictured) in his home village of Petersfield.
	John Bayton	Hambledon and Hampshire	Noted batsman of the late 1760s whose career apparently ended in the early 1770s.
	Peter Stewart	Hambledon and Hampshire	Nicknamed "Buck", a humorist who was a Hambledon mainstay through the club's formative period.
	Richard Nyren	Hambledon and Hampshire	Cricket's earliest known left-hander. An outstanding all-rounder who captained the Hambledon team in its heyday.
	Squire Thomas Land	Hambledon and Hampshire	Perhaps the original patron of Hambledon cricket who seems to have left the scene before the club was founded.
	Thomas Baldwin	Chertsey	Active in the 1760s.
	Thomas Ridge	Hambledon and Hampshire	Prominent Hambledon Club member who played in a number of matches to 1775.
	William Barber	Hambledon and Hampshire	Noted bowler, probably fast-medium, who played until 1777.
	William Hogsflesh	Hambledon and Hampshire	Noted bowler, probably fast-medium, who played until 1775.
	Edward Woolgar	Hambledon and Hampshire	Tentative reference re one match in 1764.
	John Woolgar	Hambledon and Hampshire	Tentative reference re one match in 1764.
	Osmond	Hambledon and Hampshire	Tentative reference re one match in 1764.
1765	Richard Edmeads	Chertsey	Brother of John Edmeads; recorded in one match in 1765.
1767	Edward Aburrow Jr aka "Curry"	Hambledon and Hampshire	Son of Edward Aburrow Sr. A Hampshire regular to 1782.
	Henry Rowett	Caterham and Surrey	Patron of Surrey cricket who was chiefly associated with the Caterham club in the 1760s.
	Sir Horatio Mann, 2nd Baronet	Kent	A leading patron of Kent cricket.
	Tom Sueter	Hambledon and Hampshire	Outstanding wicketkeeper-batsman, especially noted for his front foot play.
1768	John Frederick Sackville, 3rd Duke of Dorset	Kent	A leading patron of Kent cricket and a useful player in his own right.
	Bellchambers	Surrey	Recorded in two matches to 1769.
	James Fuggles	Kent	Kent batsman who was last recorded in 1773.
	John Boorman	Kent and Essex	Prominent bowler active until 1793.
	Joseph Miller	Kent	Outstanding batsman who was active until 1783. Some confusion exists re his first name but the majority of sources call him Joseph.
	Richard May	Kent	Noted bowler of the 1760s and 1770s. Brother of Thomas May.
	Thomas May	Kent	Batsman who played until 1773. Brother of Richard May.
	Richard Simmons	Kent	One of the earliest well-known wicketkeepers. Active until 1779.
	Will Palmer	Kent and Surrey	Noted batsman who was active from the 1760s until 1784.
	Birchet	Surrey	Recorded in two matches in 1768.
	Brobham	Dartford and Kent	Recorded in one single wicket match in 1768 and a match for Dartford in 1775.
	Foule	Caterham	Recorded as top scorer in one match in 1768.
	Mandy	Kent	Recorded in one single wicket match in 1768.
	Muddle	Kent	Recorded in two matches in 1768.
	Smailes	Caterham	Recorded in two matches from 1768 to 1769.
	Blake	Caterham	Tentative reference re one match in 1768.
	Carpenter	Caterham	Tentative reference re one match in 1768.
	Edward Francis	Caterham	Tentative reference re one match in 1768.
	T. Francis	Caterham	Tentative reference re one match in 1768.
	Golding	Bourne	Tentative reference re one match in 1768.
	Love	Bourne	Tentative reference re one match in 1768.
	Miller	Caterham	Tentative reference re one match in 1768.
	Twinker	Caterham	Tentative reference re one match in 1768.
	Ward	Bourne	Tentative reference re one match in 1768.
1769	Lumpy Stevens	Chertsey and Surrey	One of the greatest bowlers of the underarm era. Had a long career from c. 1756 to 1789.
	Jasper Fish	Kent	Recorded in three matches between 1769 and 1777.
	John Wood (Kent)	Kent	Noted bowler who was active until 1783. Sources have often failed to disambiguate him re John Wood of Surrey.
	George Leer	Hambledon and Hampshire	Middle order batsman who was mainly noted for his fielding.
	John Minshull	Kent and Surrey	Scorer of the earliest known century in all forms of cricket and a noted batsman in the 1760s and 1770s.
	Thomas Brett	Hambledon and Hampshire	Outstanding fast bowler who was acclaimed for his combination of speed and accuracy.
	Page	Chertsey and Surrey	Active until 1773.
	Thomas Pattenden	Kent	Played in over thirty matches from 1772 to 1783. In some scorecards, he cannot be differentiated from his brother William.
	Thomas Quiddington	Chertsey and Surrey	Noted bowler mentioned in reports from 1769 to 1784. His name has also been spelt Quiddenden.
	John Wood (Surrey)	Chertsey and Surrey	Noted all-rounder who was active until 1780. Sources have often failed to disambiguate him re John Wood of Kent and S&B always calls him Thomas Wood.
	William Bowra	Kent and Sussex	Probably the son of John Bowra. Sound middle-order batsman who is believed to have been a good close fielder.
	Glazier	Hambledon and Hampshire	Recorded in one match in 1769.
	Purdy	Hambledon and Hampshire	Recorded in one match in 1769.
	Shepherd	Caterham and Surrey	Recorded in one match in 1769.
	Wessing	Caterham and Surrey	Recorded in one match in 1769.
	S. Bartram	Duke of Dorset's XI	Recorded in one match in 1769.
	Bishop	Duke of Dorset's XI	Recorded in one match in 1769.
	Oliver	Duke of Dorset's XI	Recorded in one match in 1769.
	Shearcy	Duke of Dorset's XI	Recorded in one match in 1769.
	Whitting	Duke of Dorset's XI	Recorded in one match in 1769.
1771	Coleman	Nottingham	Two known matches, 1771–72.
	Collishaw	Nottingham	Two known matches, 1771–72.
	Reverend Reynell Cotton	Hambledon	An educator who was the president of the Hambledon Club in 1773 and 1774. He is believed to have played in the 1750s. Best known for composing the Hambledon Club Song c. 1771.
	John de Burgh, 13th Earl of Clanricarde	Hambledon and Hampshire	Occasional player in the early 1770s. Became the 13th Earl of Clanricarde.
	Huythwaite	Nottingham	One match against Sheffield.
	Loughman	Nottingham	Two known matches, 1771–72.
	Mew	Nottingham	Two known matches, 1771–72.
	Osguthorpe	Sheffield	One match against Nottingham.
	Harry Peckham	Sussex	Occasional player who was a member of the Laws committee in 1774.
	Rawson	Nottingham	One match against Sheffield.
	Roe	Nottingham	Two known matches, 1771–72.
	Spurr	Nottingham	Two known matches, 1771–72.
	Stocks	Nottingham	Two known matches, 1771–72.
	Troop	Nottingham	Two known matches, 1771–72.
	Turner	Nottingham	Two known matches, 1771–72.
	Thomas White	Chertsey and Surrey	Noted all-rounder who instigated the 1771 Monster Bat Incident. Retired in 1779.

1772 to 1775

year	name	team	notes[c][d]
1772	Childs	Surrey	Recorded in nine matches from 1772 to 1774 but believed to have been active long before 1772.
	Bamford	Nottingham	One match against Sheffield.
	Mr Ellis	Hampshire and Sussex	A now unknown figure who was mentioned as the subject of a bet re how many runs he might score in comparison with the Duke of Dorset in a Kent versus Hampshire and Sussex match.
	Gladwin	Nottingham	One match against Sheffield.
	William Yalden	Chertsey and Surrey	Outstanding wicketkeeper-batsman. Made at least fifty known appearances to 1783.
1773	William Bartholomew	Chertsey and Surrey	A member of the Bartholomew family, recorded in 1773.
	Charles Bennet, 4th Earl of Tankerville	Surrey	A leading patron of Surrey cricket who employed Lumpy as a gardener.
	Charles Powlett	Hambledon Club	A key benefactor and patron at Hambledon. A member of the Laws committee in 1774.
	Constantine Phillips	Surrey	Made 5 known appearances to 1778.
	Edward Hussey	Kent	A useful batsman who had a long but sporadic career from 1773 to 1797.
	Francis Booker	Kent	Left-handed batsman and noted fielder who played regularly until 1790.
	George Louch	Kent	An occasional patron who was one of the most prolific amateur players.
	Henry Attfield	Surrey	Also known as "Field", his career seems to have ended early at age 26 in 1782.
	James Aylward	Hambledon and Hampshire	Noted batsman who had a long career and made a known record score of 167 in 1777.
	James Bayley	Hambledon and Hampshire	Made four known appearances from 1773 to 1783.
	John Wheeler	Kent	Made two known appearances in 1773 and 1775.
	M. Lewis	Surrey	Amateur who made two known appearances in 1773.
	Richard Francis	Hambledon and Hampshire	Regular player for Hampshire until 1793.
	Richard Newman	Essex and Kent	Amateur batsman who was active from 1773 to 1793.
	Richard Purchase	Hambledon and Hampshire	Noted slow bowler who had a long career from 1773 until 1803, though he was absent from 1775 to 1780 inclusive.
	Samuel Colchin	Kent	All-rounder who was active until 1779. Nephew of Robert Colchin.
	John Brewer Davis	Kent	Recorded twice in 1773.
	Robert Stone	Surrey	Amateur batsman who played eight times until 1780. May have reappeared in 1790, if the same man.
	T. Davis	Hambledon and Hampshire	Amateur batsman who made 7 known appearances for Hampshire until 1776.
	William Bullen	Kent	Outstanding all-rounder who was prolific until 1800. First bowler ever to be definitely credited with 5 wickets in an innings.
	Blake	Surrey	Recorded in one match in 1773.
	Horne	Hambledon	Recorded in one match for "Hambledon Town" in 1773.
	James Cotton	Hambledon	Recorded in one match for "Hambledon Town" in 1773.
	Lawrence	Hambledon	Recorded in two matches only (1773/77).
	M. Lewis	Hambledon	Recorded in one match for "Hambledon Town" in 1773.
	Read	England	Recorded in one match in 1773.
1774	Muggeridge	Chertsey and Surrey	Bowler who was active until 1784.
	Waller	Kent	Recorded in two matches in 1774.
	William Brazier	Kent	All-rounder who played from 1774 to 1794 but was absent 1777–1781.
	Richard Miller	Surrey	Possibly a brother of Joseph Miller; recorded in one match in 1774.
1775	Tom Taylor	Hampshire	Outstanding all-rounder, especially noted for the cut shot and brilliant fielding.
	William Edmeads	Surrey	Younger brother of John Edmeads. Recorded in one match in 1775.
	Francis	Hampshire	Possibly a brother of Richard Francis; recorded in one match in 1775.
	Rev. Charles Bartholomew	Chertsey	One of the Bartholomew family who played in the 1770s and perhaps earlier.
	Thomas Swayne	Chertsey	Made three recorded appearances to 1778.
	Briggs	(Risborough)	Recorded as a given man in one match in 1775.
	Daniel Etheridge	Chertsey	Recorded in three matches in 1775.
	Faggoter	Chertsey	Recorded in one match in 1775.
	Richard Lipscomb	Chertsey	Recorded in two matches in 1775.
	Ashby aka Ashley	Coulsdon	Amateur player; recorded in one match in 1775.
	Benick	Coulsdon	Recorded in one match in 1775.
	Burkin	Coulsdon	Recorded in one match in 1775.
	Henry Palmer	Coulsdon	Recorded in one match in 1775; possibly related to Will Palmer.
	Bassden	London	Recorded in two matches (1775/77).
	Birdeye	London	Recorded in one match in 1775.
	Warren	London	Recorded in one match in 1775.
	Baldwin	Dartford	Recorded in one match in 1775.
	Hammond	Dartford	Recorded in one match in 1775.
	Scuder	Dartford	Recorded in one match in 1775.
	Goulson	Dartford	Recorded in one match in 1775.
	Lintot	Dartford	Recorded in one match in 1775.
	Sanham	Dartford	Recorded in one match in 1775.
	Terry	Dartford	Recorded in one match in 1775.
	Richardson	Dartford	Recorded in one match in 1775.

1776 to 1780

year	name	team	notes[c][d]
1776	Richard Aubrey Veck	Hampshire	Noted batsman who was a Hampshire regular until 1784 when he quit the game for, apparently, business reasons.
1777	Lamborn	Surrey and Hampshire	Spin bowler who was a great innovator. Known as the "Little Farmer".
	Mills	Surrey	Bowler who was active until 1781.
	Noah Mann	Hampshire	Outstanding all-rounder noted for his athleticism. Career ended tragically when he was killed by fire.
	Pennell	Kent	Made five known appearances to 1781.
	Richard Hosmer	Kent	Amateur batsman. Active until 1791.
	Richard Stanford	Kent	Amateur batsman. Active until 1787.
	Robert Clifford	Kent	Prolific all-rounder, especially noted for his slow bowling. Active until 1792.
	Townsend	Kent	Recorded in seven matches to 1786.
	William Bedster	Surrey and Middlesex	Noted batsman who played regularly to 1794. Was at one time the Earl of Tankerville's butler.
	William Pattenden	Kent	Occasional player to 1781. Younger brother of Thomas Pattenden.
	Baker	Hampshire	Recorded in one match in 1777.
	Holness	Kent	Recorded in one match in 1777 and in one match in 1781.
	Bidewell	Kent	Recorded in one match in 1777.
	Oakley	Kent	Recorded in one match in 1777.
1778	Boltwood	England	Recorded in one match in 1778.
	Henry Bonham	Hampshire	Amateur player; recorded in one match in 1778.
	Irons	England	Recorded in one match in 1778.
	Mansfield	England	Recorded in one match in 1778.
	Polden	England	Recorded in one match in 1778.
1779	Berwick	Surrey and Hampshire	Made 6 known appearances from 1779 to 1780.
1780	Gibson	Kent	Mentioned in two matches in 1780.
	John Freemantle	Hampshire	Elder brother of Andrew Freemantle. A fast bowler who had a short career to 1782.
	B. Rimmington	Kent	One of three brothers who collectively played until 1791. Sources often fail to disambiguate between them.
	T. Rimmington	Kent	One of three brothers who collectively played until 1791. Sources often fail to disambiguate between them.

1781 to 1787

year	name	team	notes[c][d]
1781	Hogben	Kent	Made six known appearances in 1781 and 1782.
	J. Martin	Essex	Professional bowler active until 1793.
	M. Rimmington	Kent	One of three brothers who collectively played until 1791. Sources often fail to disambiguate between them.
	Webb	Kent	Made five known appearances in 1781.
	Hodges	Kent	Recorded in one match in 1781.
	T. Skinner	Hampshire	Recorded in one match in 1781.
1782	David Harris	Hampshire	One of the greatest bowlers of the underarm era. Active to 1798.
	"Little" Joey Ring	Kent	Noted batsman who played until 1796.
	W. Hall	Hampshire	Recorded in one match in 1782.
1783	Couchman	Kent	Made two known appearances to 1786.
	James Wells	Surrey	Brother of the more famous John Wells. Made over twenty known appearances to 1800.
	Stephen Amherst	Kent	An occasional patron of Kent cricket who was Thomas Boxall's employer.
1784	J. Cole	Hampshire	Two known appearances to 1788.
	Davidson	Essex	Three known appearances to 1787.
	Jack Small	Hampshire	Son of John Small and close friend of John Nyren. A sound batsman but overshadowed by his father.
	Harry Walker	Hampshire and Surrey	Brother of Tom Walker recorded until 1802. Batsman who was noted for his use of the cut shot.
1785	Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond	White Conduit Club (WCC)	Acted as Thomas Lord's guarantors and became significant patrons during the early years of MCC.
	George Finch, 9th Earl of Winchilsea
	Barker	Essex	Amateur player. Recorded in four matches to 1793.
	John Dampier	WCC	Amateur player. Recorded in three matches to 1787.
	Lord Strathavon	WCC	Amateur player. Recorded in three matches to 1792. Later styled as George Gordon, 9th Marquess of Huntly.
	George Henry Monson	WCC	Amateur player. Recorded in ten matches to 1792.
	Charles Monson	WCC	Amateur player. Brother of G. H. Monson. Army captain who was recorded in one match in 1785.
	George T. Boult	Berkshire and Middlesex	Amateur player. Recorded in over twenty known matches to 1795.
	George Talbot	WCC	Amateur player. Recorded in over twenty known matches to 1791.
	Gilbert East	Berkshire	Amateur all-rounder. Recorded in twelve matches to 1794.
	Henry Hervey Aston	WCC and Hampshire	Amateur player; became an army officer and was killed in a duel in 1798. Recorded in thirteen matches to 1793.
	John Gouldstone aka Goldswain	Essex	Recorded in twelve matches to 1793.
	J. Russell	Essex	Amateur player; recorded in nine matches to 1793.
	J. Wyatt	Essex	Amateur player; recorded in seven matches to 1787.
	Peachey	WCC	Amateur player; recorded in two matches in 1785.
	R. Whitehead	WCC	Occasional patron.
	Sir Peter Burrell	WCC	Opening batsman and ccasional patron.
	C. Slater	Berkshire	Amateur player; recorded in four matches to 1787.
	Tyson	WCC	Amateur player; recorded in seven matches to 1794.
	Billy Beldham	Hampshire and Surrey	One of the most outstanding players of the pre-roundarm era. Credited with over 200 appearances from 1787 to 1821.
	William Fennex	Middlesex	Noted all-rounder and fast bowler whose best years were the 1790s.
	Belch	Berkshire	Recorded in one match in 1785.
	Spriggs	Berkshire	Recorded in one match in 1785.
	Fothers	Essex	Recorded in one match in 1785.
	J. Norman	Essex	Amateur player; recorded in one match in 1785.
	Kingsmill	Essex	Recorded in one match in 1785.
	Dyke	Kent	Amateur player; recorded in two "gentlemen only" matches in 1785.
	Edwards	Kent	Amateur player; recorded in two "gentlemen only" matches in 1785.
	Smith	Kent	Amateur player; recorded in two "gentlemen only" matches in 1785.
	Thompson	Kent	Amateur player; recorded in two "gentlemen only" matches in 1785.
	Willard	Kent	Amateur player; recorded in two "gentlemen only" matches in 1785.
	Wilmot	Kent	Amateur player; recorded in two "gentlemen only" matches in 1785.
1786	Collier	Kent	Recorded in one match in 1786.
	Henry Crozoer	Kent	All-rounder recorded until 1790.
	Finch	Kent	Recorded in one match in 1786.
	Isaac Hatch	Kent	Amateur player; recorded in one match in 1786.
	Hawkins	Hampshire	Amateur batsman recorded in four matches to 1787.
	John Nyren	Hampshire	Son of Richard Nyren and an occasional player who is better known as the author of The Cricketers of My Time.
	Tom Walker	Hampshire and Surrey	Outstanding all-rounder who was noted for his determined, defensive batting. Known as "Old Everlasting", he was a leading player until he retired in 1810.
1787	Thomas Lord	Middlesex	Lord opened his original ground at the beginning of the 1787 season and the first record of him as a player is on 31 May 1787 when he played for Middlesex against Essex on his own ground. Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) was founded soon afterwards and the earliest known match played by an MCC team was at Lord's on 30 July 1787.

Provenance

Some content on this page may previously have appeared on Wikipedia.

The contents of this article were fully researched and recorded by me. This version is an enhancement and expansion of the one published 1 October 2017 on the other site. John (talk) 23:19, 17 May 2023 (CDT)

Footnotes

•  a)^{^}17 January 1597 is a Julian date which is 27 January 1598 by modern reckoning under the Gregorian calendar.

•  b)^{^}As far as is known, cricket in Great Britain has always been played in the spring and summer months from April to September. Some early matches, however, are known to have been played in October and even in November. Matches in the winter months from December to March are extremely rare.

•  c)^{^}In each entry, at least one of the inline citations references the earliest known mention of the person in a cricketing connection.

•  d)^{^}Surviving match records to 1825 are incomplete and any statistical compilation of a player's career in that period is futile as it can only be based on known data. Match scorecards were not always created, or have been lost, and the matches themselves were not always recorded in the press or other media. Scorecard data was never comprehensive: e.g., bowling analyses lacked balls bowled and runs conceded; bowlers were not credited with wickets when the batsman was caught or stumped; in many scorecards, even the means of dismissal were omitted.

Bibliography

• ACS (1981). A Guide to Important Cricket Matches Played in the British Isles 1709–1863. Nottingham: ACS. 
• Altham, H. S. (1962). A History of Cricket, Volume 1 (to 1914). London: George Allen & Unwin. 
• Ashley-Cooper, F. S. (1900). "At the Sign of the Wicket: Cricket 1742–1751".

• Ashley-Cooper, F. S. (1924). Hambledon Cricket Chronicle 1772–1796. Jenkins. 
• Ashley-Cooper, F. S. (1880). Kent Cricket Matches 1719–1796. Gibbs & Sons. 
• Birley, Derek (1999). A Social History of English Cricket. London: Aurum Press Ltd. ISBN 978-18-54107-10-7. 
• Bowen, Rowland (1970). Cricket: A History of its Growth and Development. London: Eyre & Spottiswoode. ISBN 978-04-13278-60-9. 
• Buckley, G. B. (1935). Fresh Light on 18th Century Cricket. Birmingham: Cotterell & Co.. ISBN 978-19-00592-48-2. 
• Buckley, G. B. (1937). Fresh Light on pre-Victorian Cricket. Birmingham: Cotterell & Co.. ISBN 978-19-00592-49-9. 
• Haygarth, Arthur (1862). Scores & Biographies, Volume 1 (1744–1826). Kennington: Frederick Lillywhite. ISBN 978-19-00592-23-9. 
• McCann, Tim (2004). Sussex Cricket in the Eighteenth Century. Lewes: Sussex Record Society. ISBN 978-08-54450-55-8. 
• Major, John (2007). More Than A Game. London: HarperCollins. ISBN 978-00-07183-64-7. 
• Marshall, John (1961). The Duke who was Cricket. London: Frederick Muller Ltd. 
• Maun, Ian (2009). From Commons to Lord's, Volume One: 1700 to 1750. Cambridge: Roger Heavens. ISBN 978-19-00592-52-9. 
• Maun, Ian (2011). From Commons to Lord's, Volume Two: 1751 to 1770. Leicester: Martin Wilson. ISBN 978-09-56906-60-1. 
• Nyren, John (1832). The Cricketers of my Time. London: Robson Publishing (1998 reprint). ISBN 978-18-61051-68-4. 
• Underdown, David (2000). Start of Play. Westminster: Allen Lane. ISBN 978-07-13993-30-1. 
• Waghorn, H. T. (1899). Cricket Scores, Notes, &c. From 1730–1773. Edinburgh: Blackwood. ISBN 978-09-47821-17-3. 
• Waghorn, H. T. (1906). The Dawn of Cricket. London: Electric Press. ISBN 978-09-47821-17-3. 
• Webber, Roy (1960). The Phoenix History of Cricket. Charing Cross, London: Phoenix House Ltd. ISBN 978-04-60078-04-7. 
• Wilson, Martin (2005). An Index to Waghorn. Bodyline. 

External links

• Terry, David (2008). The Seventeenth Century Game of Cricket: A Reconstruction of the Game. SportsLibrary.